Setting deadlines for your goals?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2006
Setting deadlines for your goals?
2
Wed, 07-12-2006 - 9:01am

Is it helpful? or stressful?


I used to set deadlines all the time and it stressed me out big time. Mainly because I never met the deadlines LOL.. (yes they were realistic). Then I stopped setting time frames all together. But then I noticed that I slacked big time. It was like a license to stall forever. So since the beginning of this month I set a goal date for my goal weight.


I just hope this time around it doesn't prove to be that stressful. When I'm stressing out at something I just think about it all the time and believe me I don't need food on my mind 24/7 LOL

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2004
Wed, 07-12-2006 - 9:56am

I set deadlines for my goals, because if I don't, I find that I don't work as hard. I always try to set reasonable goals, even ones that seem well below what I know I can accomplish, and it's never stressed me out too much in the past, but with the way my weight loss has been going this time around, it is bothering me some. I think it is mostly bothering me this time because I haven't seen the results I am used to even though I am doing so much better this time than any other time in the past. I have learned to readjust my goals to not just include the # on the scale, though. SO, I give myself a goal of XX amount of pounds OR XX% body fat by a certain date. That way I'm not feeling so discouraged.

Staci


 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Wed, 07-12-2006 - 10:26pm

Hmmm, see those tickers at the bottom of my message? The ones that need to be updated? My cunning plan is that they will embarass (embarass, not stress) me into either meeting them or coming close. (Although with the dress, "close" is where I am right now, and it's not a totally lovely picture! I wonder if there are "suck-em-in ultra-control undies" suitable for New Mexico in July?)

I think it's useful (for me) to have deadlines, and not just to hear the lovely "whooosh" as they go flying past. I not only stall otherwise, I tend to decide that since I'm (probably) starting tomorrow, I should have deep-fried ice cream tonight. Again.

Fortunately, I'm also one of those twisted little spreadsheet pixies, so I generally have option A, B & C goals for any given deadline. Is that cheating? (<<>>
I'm imagining your charming engineer's eyes popping out at the prospect of such wanton behavior!) But do you have interim goals? Or a Plan B? Maybe inches instead of pounds? I'm all for distraction--- trying to keep the motivation of a deadline from turn into stress, if that's possible.

And if you start stressing out, holler. We'll think of something! (It might involve alcohol, though...)

Misha